1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a quilting frame which can be used in hand quilting or machine sewing quilting. The multiple use frame includes three parallel, spaced rods rotatably supported by a pair of parallel frame ends with the rods being individually rotated and individually locked in rotated positions by interengaging splines on the ends of the rods and on the frame ends by the use of a screw threaded wing nut knob. The top and bottom layers of the quilt are attached to certain of the rods, the batting inserted between the top and bottom layers and the three layers of the quilt are wound on one of the rods with the rods being manipulated in a manner to effectively provide a quilting area for hand stitching or machine sewing with the rods maintaining the quilt components in a taut condition when stitching or sewing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art of quilting has been used for many years and various devices to assist in completing a quilt are well known. The following U.S. patents are relevant to this field of endeavor.
______________________________________ 23,631 672,809 1,326,776 80,760 811,650 1,732,660 253,352 843,269 1,843,834 581,063 940,070 1,973,370 599,092 988,913 ______________________________________
In comparing the above listed prior patents with the present invention in the chronological order of the patents, U.S. Pat. No. 23,631 discloses a frame fixed on a stand which prevents it from being used in a machine quilting procedure. The pawls and notch tensioning system is unidirectional and not as positive as the spline connection between the frame ends and rods in this invention and the rods cannot be interchanged by providing removable fittings as in the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 80,760 discloses a frame fixed to a stand which precludes the use with home sewing machines and the ratchet and pawl tension system is not positive and the length of the rollers or rods is not easily adjusted. U.S. Pat. No. 253,352 discloses a frame having only two rods or rollers and also includes the well known ratchet and pawl tension system. This frame is used for machine quilting only and is not capable of hand quilting. Also, the rods or rollers cannot be easily changed for different lengths. U.S. Pat. No. 581,063 discloses a frame with only two rods or rollers and also includes the ratchet tensioning system which requires a heavy rigid frame to maintain the tension. U.S. Pat. No. 599,092 discloses a frame that is fixed to a stand which precludes its use with a home sewing machine and also includes the ratchet and pawl tension system and the rods or rollers cannot be changed easily for variation in length.
U.S. Pat. No. 672,809 discloses a frame for hand quilting and also uses a ratchet and pawl tension system. U.S. Pat. No. 811,650 discloses a floor frame for hand quilting only and employs the ratchet and pawl tension system. U.S. Pat. No. 843,269 discloses a structure for suspending the frame from the ceiling. U.S. Pat. No. 940,070 discloses a floor frame constructed for hand quilting and the ratchet and pawl tension system is used to hold the rollers or rods in adjusted position. U.S. Pat. No. 988,913 discloses a rigid frame work having a ratchet and pawl tension mechanism which is not equivalent to the spline mechanism employed in this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,326,776 discloses a device for hand quilting utilizing a ratchet and pawl tension system which is uni-directional as compared to the bi-directional spline system employed in this invention. U.S. Pat. No. 1,732,660 also discloses a frame with a gear and pawl tension system with the gear being more complicated to use and manufacture and the rod length cannot be changed in the manner as in the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 1,843,834 discloses a frame with only two rods or rollers and the rollers or rods are held in place by friction as compared to the spline construction employed in this invention. U.S. Pat. No. 1,973,370 discloses a frame with three rails in which the rails can be interchanged but the fittings are of the ratchet and pawl type which are unidirectional and not as positive as the spline connection employed in this invention. The structure in this patent utilizes an overhead trolley system and employs various specific structural details not incorporated into the present invention.
Accordingly, while various quilting frames are disclosed, the manufacture and operation of the present invention is less complicated and the structure of the present invention is less bulky, economical to manufacture and relatively simple to operate and does not require an overhead track support and does not require a rigid stand.